Man, I love Apfelwein
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FRS
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I like the wine thief plan! It'll age better/faster in bulk anyway, right?
Ramitt
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Really, just give it 3 months, it is really so much better at that point. At the minimum wait 6 weeks, but longer is so much better.
IrishBrewer74
Well-Known Member
My fermentation has been weak. I have had little to no air lock activity. If I swirl my bucket I get some bubbles, but that's it. I know there's fermentation going on in there cause I had that lovely smell and when I opened the lid a bit I could here the fizzing. I am fermenting at about 68 degrees. I have not take a hydrometer reading since its only been a week, and again, I know its fermenting just not as strong as I expected so I'm not going to Rick an infection pulling a sample this early.
Before I get slammed by everyone saying you can't base fermentation on air lock activity, let me say I know that... This is also the first time I have ever brewed using a wine yeast. I'm just wondering if this slow performance is normal or if I should pitch more yeast. I used Edworts original recipe to the letter and rehydrated the yeast, no starter.
Before I get slammed by everyone saying you can't base fermentation on air lock activity, let me say I know that... This is also the first time I have ever brewed using a wine yeast. I'm just wondering if this slow performance is normal or if I should pitch more yeast. I used Edworts original recipe to the letter and rehydrated the yeast, no starter.
Sometimes I don't think my bucket has a good enough seal and I don't see any airlock activity. Otherwise you should see air lock activity.
brew2enjoy
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my 2 month old apfelwein is getting rave reviews so far.
IrishBrewer74
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garnede said:
I was wondering if it wasn't sealed good but by just gently pressing on the lid I can see the levels i the airlock change, and never had an issue with brewing beer. I guess I'm not too worried since I know fermentation is active, just not the violent crazy fermentation most post about.
timdsmith72
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IrishBrewer74 said:
I've never had violent fermentation with this. Just slow and steady.
NineMilBill
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Just started a 1 gallon batch to use the slurry for some Skeeter Pee.
NineMilBill said:
That sounds like an excellent idea...
tulsabrewdaddy
Well-Known Member
I made this in January and haven't messed with it until today. I went to look at it and I noticed that it is not clear, it looks like the second one in the original picture. Notes, it did bubble for awhile but I never got the rotten egg smell out of it. Any concern or ideas?
rico567
Well-Known Member
Mine isn't clear either, but I started with straight cider, not apple juice, so I wasn't expecting clarity. The cider probably still had all the pectin in it, and that will prevent clarification. I don't know about what yours has in it, but that may be a good bet. They sell pectic enzyme that's supposed to clear it up, but I tried some, and it didn't work in mine. It may have been because I didn't put it in until I bottled. Doesn't bother me much....the apfelwein tasted great even at bottling. Can't wait until June, when I plan to sample some.
Grumpybumpy
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tulsabrewdaddy said:
Check your gravity. What kind of juice did you use? Mine took more than a month to clear
tulsabrewdaddy
Well-Known Member
Grumpybumpy said:
Used the motts natural, after taking the gravity I think that it is clear but the color is just different than normal apple juice. The reading was a .99 so I feel good about it, thanks for the help.
I'm sure that this was covered already, but I'd love it if someone would save me the time of reading all these pages.
I plan on bottling my Apfelwein in the next day or so and was wondering if I could prime my 5 gallon batch with (thawed) frozen concentrate? It's a 12 fl. oz. can with 162 grams of sugar. By my calculations, that's a hair under 5 3/4 oz. of sugar. Will this carb up my batch, or give me some bottle bombs?
BTW, my FG is: .997.
Any input/opinions would be appreciated.
I plan on bottling my Apfelwein in the next day or so and was wondering if I could prime my 5 gallon batch with (thawed) frozen concentrate? It's a 12 fl. oz. can with 162 grams of sugar. By my calculations, that's a hair under 5 3/4 oz. of sugar. Will this carb up my batch, or give me some bottle bombs?
BTW, my FG is: .997.
Any input/opinions would be appreciated.
CreamyGoodness
Well-Known Member
Taking someone's advice here, I reused the yeast cake after racking. Just added more sugar and juice, shook and waited. It works!
I'm not going to push my luck too many times, but I think I have effectively made my first started. Baby steps.
I'm not going to push my luck too many times, but I think I have effectively made my first started. Baby steps.
high5apparatus
Well-Known Member
high5apparatus said:
Seven weeks in primary.
I couldn't help but steal a little sample, and oh is it good!
It rally is tasty now, but a few months in 1 liter EZ cap bottles and carbed should have this tasting like dew from the heavens.
Had to add a twist...I added a gallon of Trader Joe's Spiced apple cider to four gallons of Kirkland apple juice, otherwise EdWort's recipe but with Red Pasteur yeast. Just cracked the first bottle (it's five months old, carbonated) and it tastes sooo good. The spice from the TJ's cider comes through but it's nice and subtle--definitely going to do this combo again. This one probably won't mix as well with the IPA (seriously, try it) but, on it's own, it's hard to beat.
tulsabrewdaddy
Well-Known Member
Bottling in about a week, carb or not? 935 pages is a lot....
dnull1337
Member
Carb. You can always leave a portion uncarbed to try it, but chances are you're going to wish it was all carbed.
Speaking of carbing, how high can you carb this stuff?
My first batch, I just carbed it and served it like beer. Can it be force carbed like champagne? if so, what psi do I set it to?
My first batch, I just carbed it and served it like beer. Can it be force carbed like champagne? if so, what psi do I set it to?
We'll see how long my resolve lasts, but I've started combing through this thread to try and condense the knowledge down with respect to recipe and process questions and variations. I keep on seeing the same questions over and over, and I have my own questions that I know have been dealt with somewhere in the middle that I just can't remember the answers to.
It's long past time that we had a central *easily accessible* reference for what has to be one of the most popular homebrew recipes ever.
I've been thinking about doing the same and putting together a sort of ApfelwineFAQ on my website....don't want to step on Ed's toes, however....it's his recipe! We'll see what time allows....
What do y'all think....would there be enough interest for that?
So, I've read through a lot and noticed some have added cinnamon to this. I have a 4 month old batch in bottles now and I cracked one open. It was pretty good, but with a hint of cinnamon from a stick I threw in my glass it was amazing!
For those of you who have used cinnamon in it, how much do you use and how long do you let it sit in it for? I'm guessing just throw it in about a week or so before bottling?
For those of you who have used cinnamon in it, how much do you use and how long do you let it sit in it for? I'm guessing just throw it in about a week or so before bottling?
bamer101
Member
I've had the apfelwein in primary for about a week now. I have two questions; answers to either won't effect the outcome as this sucker is in full throttle fermentation, but it'd still be nice to get some input.
First question: I used only about a pound of sucrose. I also used my own strain of yeast that I rinsed off a very malty beer a few months back. How do you think this will effect the end product?
Second question: I used pasteurized apple juice with no additives/preservatives, BUT the cubed sugar that I used was not sterilized in any fashion. I just dissolved it in the bottles before I poured it into the carboy. Is there a major risk of infection?
First question: I used only about a pound of sucrose. I also used my own strain of yeast that I rinsed off a very malty beer a few months back. How do you think this will effect the end product?
Second question: I used pasteurized apple juice with no additives/preservatives, BUT the cubed sugar that I used was not sterilized in any fashion. I just dissolved it in the bottles before I poured it into the carboy. Is there a major risk of infection?
bamer101 said:
You will be fine! If you scroll through the 956 pages you will find others that did this as well. I didn't boil my corn sugar, just added to bottles shook and poured in carboy and 2 Weeks later all visible signs of fermentation have stopped and no sign of infection whatsoever. On a different note, Would it be fine to age this stuff in the bottles the juice came in after it clears. I'm not carbing as this is for SWMBO!
As for what your own strain of yeast and less sugar, the yeast will impart it own characteristics and the apfelwein will have a lower ABV.
bamer101
Member
Thanks Brewscout! Hoping this turns out as good as it sounds. I'm a fan Bulmers and Magners which is why I used less sugar...hoping it'll be less dry.
Grumpybumpy
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10 minutes. Get drinking!
No, I have no idea
No, I have no idea
Ramitt
Well-Known Member
Kept in the fridge, best I can guess is 2-7 days. It is not going to spoil, just oxidize and the flavor change.
Soo I think I primed my batch a bit too much.
3 months in primary, then to bottles with priming sugar. And now it's been about 6 weeks in the bottle.
Open a bottle: it opens like a champagne bottle, and there's soo much bubbles that the bubbles somehow stir all the yeast from the bottom of the bottle back to the apfelwein..
Is there a way to solve this?
Should I just let it sit in the bottles for 1-2 months more?
Or would it help if I cooled it really cold, like 1-2 C.
I may have used around 8g of sugar per litre of apfelwein. Not so sure, wasn't so precise..
3 months in primary, then to bottles with priming sugar. And now it's been about 6 weeks in the bottle.
Open a bottle: it opens like a champagne bottle, and there's soo much bubbles that the bubbles somehow stir all the yeast from the bottom of the bottle back to the apfelwein..
Is there a way to solve this?
Should I just let it sit in the bottles for 1-2 months more?
Or would it help if I cooled it really cold, like 1-2 C.
I may have used around 8g of sugar per litre of apfelwein. Not so sure, wasn't so precise..
Grumpybumpy
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lesticx said:
That's just over 5 oz per 5 gallons, which is a bit on the high end but I wouldn't expect it to be too carbed..
And how do you define "too carbed"?
